Preaching Repentance

"Oh, ye elders of Israel, hearken to my voice; and when you are sent into the world to preach, tell those things you are sent to tell; preach and cry aloud, 'Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; repent and believe the Gospel.' Declare the first principles, and let mysteries alone, lest ye be overthrown. Never meddle with the visions of beasts and subjects you do not understand. Elder Brown, when you go to Palmyra, say nothing about the four beasts, but preach those things the Lord has told you to preach about—repentance and baptism for the remission of sins."  Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 172

"Repentance is a thing that cannot be trifled with every day. Daily transgression and daily repentance is not that which is pleasing in the sight of God."  Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith

"They were very disturbed when their marriage was postponed to allow time for repentance.  They had rationalized the sin nearly out of existence.  They pressed for a date, the first possible one on which they could plan their temple marriage.  They did not understand that forgiveness is not a thing of days or months or even years but is a matter of intensity of feeling and transformation of self."  Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 156-56.

"Let us take a course to be saved today, and, when evening comes, review the acts of the day, repent of our sins, if we have any to repent of, and say our prayers; then we can lie down and sleep in peace until the morning, arise with gratitude to God, commence the labors of another day, and strive to live the whole day to God and nobody else."  Discourses of Brigham Young,  p.16

"Self-justification is the enemy to repentance.  God's spirit continues with the honest in heart to strengthen, to help, and to save, but invariably the Spirit of God ceases to strive with the man who 'excuses' himself in his wrong doing.  Practically all dishonesty owes its continued existence and growth to this inward distortion we call 'self-justification.'  It is the first, the worst and most insidious and damaging. form of cheating - cheating ourselves."  Spencer W. Kimball, BYU Speeches, February 25, 1964, p. 2

"Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people."  Mosiah 18:20

"Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ." Alma 37:33

"Say nothing but repentance unto this generation" D&C 6:9

"And I command you that you preach naught but repentance, and show not these things unto the world until it is wisdom in me."  D&C 19:21

"And of the tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost."  D&C 19:31

"Nothing can save this people save it be repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ"Helaman 13:6

"And thus, notwithstanding there being many churches they were all one church, yea, even the church of God; for there was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in God." Mosiah 25:22

"The Lord covenanteth with none save it be with them that repent and believe in his son, who is the Holy One of Israel."  2 Nephi 29:2

"Repentance is a change of behavior which invites forgiveness."  Theodore M. Burton, Ensign, May 1983.

"Unless we do His teachings, we do not demonstrate faith in Him."  Ezra Taft Benson

"True repentance does not permit repetition."  Spencer W. Kimball, in LDS Speaker's Sourcebook, page 379

"We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins..."  Joseph Smith, Jr., Fourth Article of Faith

"And now I speak concerning baptism. Behold, elders, priests, and teachers were baptized; and they were not baptized save they brought forth fruit meet that they were worthy of it.  Neither did they receive any unto baptism save they came forth with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and witnessed unto the church that they truly repented of all their sins.  And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end."  Moroni 6:1-3.

"And the whole world lieth in sin, and groaneth under darkness and under the bondage of sin.  And by this you may know they are under the bondage of sin, because they come not unto me.  For whoso cometh not unto me is under the bondage of sin.  And whoso receiveth not my voice is not acquainted with my voice, and is not of me.  And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked, and that the whole world groaneth under sin and darkness even now."  D&C 84:49-53

"And there are none that doeth good except those who are ready to receive the fulness of my gospel, which I have sent forth unto this generation."  D&C 35:12

"For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory."  D&C 88:22

"Therefore repent ye, repent ye, lest by knowing these things and not doing them ye shall suffer yourselves to come under condemnation, and ye are brought down unto this second death."  Helaman 14:19

"And now, verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, will not lay any sin to your charge; go your ways and sin no more; but unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God."  D&C 82:7

"See that ye are not baptized unworthily.  Mormon 9:29

"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."  Antoine de St. Exupery

"The greatest of all faults, I should say, is to be conscious of none."  Thomas Carlyle

"True repentance does not allow repetition."  Spencer W. Kimball

"By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins -- behold, he will confess them and forsake them."  D&C 58:43

"When the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future."  Bumper Sticker

"To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it." Confucius

"A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it is committing another mistake."  Confucius

"All reform except a moral one will prove unavailing."  Thomas Carlyle

The scriptures are replete with admonitions that our preaching be centered on repentance.  However, we often avoid using this word out of fear of offending people!  Repenting is more than simply "changing one's life:" it is changing one's life in accordance with the will of God.  We need to talk about repentance more than we frequently do and make it central to our teaching.

Never deny an investigator of his or her opportunity to repent.  It is the most precious gift you can give him or her.  No one can put a deadline on repentance.  As general authorities have stated, conversion is not so much an issue of time as of sincerity and dedication.  Many people need more time to develop the necessary commitment and to "change their hearts," and missionaries must be sensitive to this.  Hasty or incomplete repentance before baptism will always resurface later once the person is a member, often with serious consequences.
 

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